Block Diagram

NT

Romans 2:5-8

i. Critique of Jewish Presumption (2:1-5)

But

Consessive

a) because of your stubbornness

[s] and

Ground

b) unrepentant heart

you are storing up wrath for yourself

a) in the day of wrath

[s] and

Temporal

b) revelation

righteous

Idea-Explanation

of the ... judgment

Idea-Explanation

of God,

General-Specific

ii. The Impartiality of Judgment (2:6-11)

who will render to each person

Idea-Explanation

according to his deeds:

Action-Result

by perseverance in doing good

Action-Manner

to those who ... seek for

Idea-Explanation

a) glory

[s] and

Idea-Explanation

b) honor

c) immortality,

a) eternal life;

[a] but

General-Specific

to those who

Idea-Explanation

a) are selfishly ambitious

[s] and

General-Specific

do not obey the truth, but (-)

Negative-Positive

b) obey unrighteousness, (+)

a) wrath

b) [s] and

b) indignation.

nasb

mine

phrasing

lookup

Romans 2:7 NASB

Romans 2:7

7 to those who by a perseverance in doing good seek for b glory and honor and c immortality, d eternal life;

notes

Romans 2:7 - Eternal life to those who persevere in doing good

Paul is busy describing the only two possible outcomes of "God rendering to each person according to his deeds," and in v. 2:7 details the first option - eternal life. Those to whom God renders eternal life, are those who a) persevere, b) in doing good, c) seeking glory and honor and immortality. Firstly, we have to address the question that should be jumping out in your mind - does this verse teach that a person can EARN salvation by their good works, deeds, and obedience? In the phrase that Paul so often uses in this letter - "May it NEVER BE!" He states factually later that "there is NONE righteous, not even ONE," "there is NONE who does good, there is not even ONE," that "EVERY mouth may be closed and ALL the world may become accountable to God, because by the works of the law NO flesh will be justified in His sight," and that "ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Rom 3:10-23). He reminds the Galatians that "cursed is EVERYONE who does not abide by ALL THINGS written in the Book of the Law, to perform them" (Galatians 3:10). The context of this passage is Paul saying to the unregenerate Gentile, as well as the unregenerate Jew that EVERYONE is accountable to God because of sin. NO ONE will escape His judgment, and NOTHING - no title, no amount of religious activity, no amount of animal sacrifices (for it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins - Hebrews 10:4), no, NOTHING that any mere human being can do or ever will do, can earn the title of "justified" in God's eyes. Otherwise salvation would NOT be the gift of God, but it would be as a result of works, so that everyone may boast (Eph 2:9). What does this verse then mean? If we cannot be justified by our works, how can Paul write this verse and it be true? Firstly, I believe this in some way points to the doctrine of imputed righteousness. It is why Jesus had to not ONLY die, but He had to live a life of complete obedience to God the Father, without a single sin. If we are in Christ, God looks at us and sees the perfect obedience of Christ, instead of our sin-ridden lives. His righteousness, imputed to us. Our unrighteousness, imputed to Him. If anyone says God is unfair, I would tend to agree. This imputation is everything but fair. It is pure mercy. Secondly, and I think this is more literally what this verse refers to, is the condition of a true believer's life. A person outside of Christ WILL be characterized by what will be explained in v. 2:8. A person that is truly in Christ, WILL be characterized by the elements explained in v. 2:7: a) Perseverance - Jesus says that "the one who endures to the end, he will be saved" (Matthew 24:13). Paul alludes to point b) that will follow (doing good), and says "let us not lose heart in DOING GOOD, for in due time we will reap if we do not GROW WEARY," or saying it another way - if we persevere (Galatians 6:9). John says in his first epistle that those who do NOT persevere "went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us" (1 John 2:19). b) Doing good - Again, John in his epistle tells us that "the one who says he abides in Him (perseveres) ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked" (1 John 2:6), that "the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous" (1 John 3:7), and gives a stern warning - "by this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother" (1 John 3:10). Jesus Himself said the same thing - "So then, you will know them by their fruits. Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who DOES THE WILL of My Father who is in heaven will enter" (Matthew 7:20-21). We WILL be doing good, not SO THAT we can be declared justified, but because AFTER being declared justified, as God promised - "I (God) will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances" (Ezekiel 36:27). This is exactly how God changes us, so that "we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for GOOD WORKS, which God prepared beforehand SO THAT we would WALK IN THEM" (Ephesians 2:10). When you are truly in Christ, you WILL do good works, because "it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure" (Philippians 2:13). c) Seeking glory and honor and immortality - A person who is truly in Christ will "not store up for himself treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal," but will "store up for himself treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal." Why? Because "where his treasure is, there his heart will be also" (Matthew 6:19-21). "Therefore," if he has truly "been raised up with Christ," he will "keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God." He will "set his mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For he has died and his life is hidden with Christ in God." Back to point b), he will "consider the members of his earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry," because just as Paul will continue to say in v. 2:8, "it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience" (Colossians 3:1-6). They, too, will be recompensed according to their deeds, but their fate will not be eternal life, but eternal destruction.